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foxo_cube's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I love the writing style. I think it does very well at bringing the reader into the chaos and intensity of Juliette's mind as a traumatised, terrified teenager, and the writing becomes more or less frantic with her emotions. Oddly, there is a note at the start of the book explaining this narrative technique, which I can't blame the writer for because it's just as, if not more, likely to have been the publisher's idea. Bit of a shame, though - like explaining the punchline to a joke. Nonetheless, I think that's what drew me in to the narrative: the way that Juliette's feelings are expressed is lovely and makes her feel more human.
The romance with Adam was okay. I think it's a bit weird that he found out he could touch her unharmed because he was caressing her in her sleep when she was having nightmares, but his feelings for her come off as sincere. I think she genuinely loves him but sometimes I couldn't help but think that surely, affection from nearly anyone will feel amazing and that could make her <i>think</i> she's in love even if she isn't. I mean, you only have to look at her weirdly conflicting emotions towards War Criminal Warner to see that.
Ah, yes, War Criminal Warner. He's a pervert and a pathetic nepotism baby and likes to kill people for fun. He turns up to be emotionally abusive and sexually inappropriate towards Juliette, intending on grooming her into his weapon/consort. She inexplicably still thinks he's hot. Sometimes, it feels like this book is resisting the urge to become Baby's First Dark Romance and go down his route.
Juliette is incredibly horny in general. It's kind of funny sometimes. She'll experience the most traumatising shit you can think of and then Adam will touch her arms and she'll be like "oh YEAH babey". To be fair, though, she is the most touch-starved person of all time, so maybe that's not that weird.
This isn't a criticism, but a thing I noticed that I found strange. So, Juliette has been given maybe one small meal a day for the best part of a year, and presumably must be terribly underweight and look like she's on death's door. Even after eating normally for a couple of weeks, she's probably not looking exactly healthy. That's whatever in itself, that's just the nature of being imprisoned in an inhumane asylum. But there're consistent reminders of how tiny and little and small Juliette is that... well, it kind of gave me the ick. Look, I've got a height complex three times my size, so I'm not a fan of big height differences personally. I don't want to feel even shorter than I am. But with the context meaning she's probably very very skinny and frail <i>as well</i>, it made me a bit uncomfy. I don't know if this is just a straight woman thing that I don't get, a romance trope that I wouldn't have come across, or if the writer has a mild macro/micro kink that's coming through or what, which is why, even if I didn't like it, I don't mean it as critique. It just stood out to me.
The ending left more questions than answers because it's part of a series. That's fair.
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual harassment, and War
lizzye33's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Genocide, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
memoirsofabooklover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Sexual content, Excrement, and War
raypaws's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
rokinjaguar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism
bi_n_large's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, and Sexual harassment
charlottx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I didn’t love it but I’m intrigued to see if the story gets better as the series continues?
I also wasn’t a big fan of the writing style- just personal preference but I know there will be people out there who adore it!!
Who knows maybe I’ll love the series if I keep reading it but for now a 2.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
dani794's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I’m interested to know why TikTok loves Aaron Warner so much because he’s kinda just psychotic-obsessive
Adam and Juliettes love doesn’t reallly… give anything to me rn.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, and War
akane_readsyt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment
Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
drtx_bwt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Violence